FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT JAY WRIGHT - PAGE 2

The more Jay Wright watched television in the days after Villanova's stunning 70-69 loss to South Florida in the Big East tournament, the better he felt about the Wildcats' chances of advancing to the NCAA tourney for the seventh consecutive year. And when Wright and his players watched Villanova come up as the fifth team on the 68-team bracket during the televised selection show, he felt better still. Despite a five-game losing streak, the 11/2-point underdog Wildcats drew a No. 9 seed in the East Region and will meet eighth-seeded George Mason of the Colonial Athletic Association on Friday at 2:10 p.m. in Cleveland.

The basketball season will begin earlier than usual for St. Joseph's coach Phil Martelli, Villanova coach Jay Wright, and Drexel coach Bruiser Flint. USA Basketball yesterday announced that Martelli will coach the under-21 national team that will play in the World Championships from Aug. 5 to 14 in Argentina. Martelli will be assisted by Flint and Georgia coach Dennis Felton. The selections were made by a committee chaired by Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. Although it has not been announced, Wright is expected today to be named coach of the U.S. team that will compete in the World University Games from Aug. 11 to 21 in Turkey.

Mike Holland remembers growing up in Ardmore and sneaking into Villanova men's basketball games. With his friends in tow, Holland would find a way - any way - into the university's old fieldhouse. But Holland should have no trouble finding a way to watch a Wildcats game next season. He has an in with the new coach. Jay Wright, who had been the head coach at Hofstra University since 1994, was named yesterday to the same position at Villanova. He replaces Steve Lappas, who stepped down Friday.

Moving quickly to procure Villanova's No. 1 choice for the vacant head coaching position, athletic director Vince Nicastro said last night he had offered the job to Hofstra basketball coach Jay Wright. Wright, 39, a former Villanova assistant coach who led the Pride to NCAA tournament appearances in the last two seasons, met with Nicastro yesterday morning at an undisclosed location in southern New Jersey. Wright was offered the job before the meeting ended. Nicastro and Wright did not finalize a contract, but they were expected to do so during another meeting today.

JAY WRIGHT has guided the Villanova basketball program to two Final Eights and a Final Four in the last six seasons. "I can't complain," he said. Indeed, his life does not stink. On or off the court. Still, when it comes to highs, nothing really compares to being an assistant coach for one of his three children's teams. Come again? "I love it," he said. "As long as I'm not the person in charge. " Whether that means helping his father coach sons Taylor and Colin to a Little League title 5 years ago, or now getting fields ready for his 11-year-old daughter Reilly's softball games.

A roar of disappointment and disgust went up Sunday from friends and alumni crowded into the Connelly Center's multipurpose room when "Virginia" went up on the No. 1 seed line in the East Regional instead of Villanova. But the Wildcats players and coaches were just fine with being the region's No. 2 seed, good for a matchup against Horizon League tournament champion University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Thursday in Buffalo. "I thought a No. 1 seed was possible, but I understood we weren't going to get it because we lost in the quarterfinals of the Big East" tournament, senior guard Tony Chennault said.

A 7-foot-1 backup center for the 1985 national champion Villanova Wildcats, Chuck Everson said there is a series of four questions that everyone always asks him. "People come up to me and the first thing they say to me is, 'How tall are you?' " Everson said. "I tell them, and they say, 'Do you play basketball?' I tell them. 'Where do you play?' I tell them, and they say, 'Were you on that team?' And I say yeah. " "Then I hear everybody's story about where they were the night we beat Georgetown," he added.

Whether it's diving over a courtside table, bumping heads with a teammate in a scramble for a loose ball, or getting run over while taking a charge, Ryan Arcidiacono never gives a second thought about sacrificing his body during a Villanova basketball game, no matter the score. If that means recurring trips to the hospital for stitches for the Wildcats sophomore point guard, so be it. "I dropped him off at 'Nova two years ago," said his father, Joe. "Within two weeks he calls us and says, 'Dad, I've got to go to the hospital.' He got stitches in his head.

IN RECRUITING, it often comes down to fit. The way Villanova runs an offense, there can never be enough playmakers. Especially when you have the Walter Payton Award winner returning for his senior season in John Robertson, a quarterback who gets it done with his arm and legs. Still, every additional weapon you can put around him only makes him that much more valuable. The Wildcats think they're bringing in one such piece in Jarrett McClenton, a 5-9, 170-pound running back from Archbishop Wood who rushed for 1,700 yards and 28 touchdowns for the team that repeated as PIAA state Class AAA champions.